Scam Email: Anna Johnson

hi kathleen,

As an art scammer tried to cheat me i did some research and stumbled across your page. in case you like to add the mail address of this guy...

Regards from austria,
Rudolf

Hello,

i will like to purchase your item listed on auction and i will like you to answer some questions before we move further on this transaction....

What is the condition of the item???
What is the final asking price of the item???
Can u send me some pics of the item if you don’t mind???
Will you accept a PayPal as a mode of payment???
Will you allow my shipping company company to come and move the item from your place down to where the item is needed cos the shipping company fee will be added to the payment that will be sent to you???
Will you be able to send the shipping company fees to them after you might have got the payment and deduct your own money of the item???

If this is clear Kindly get back to me with your PayPal email address where you want the payment to be addressed to and your phone number asap...

Mrs Anna Johnson
My Email Address : anna2021anna@aim.com

Next email from scammer:

Hello,
Thanks for your respond...i want you to know that i am new at this so i will like to buy this item i am at sea right now so l wont be able to check the item but l need for details about the item and also l will be more happy if you can send me some pictures of it because am buying this for my son as a surprise gift so am willing to offer you the amount you required. I can only pay through PayPal at the moment as i don’t have access to my bank account online(i don’t have internet banking with it), but i have it attached to my PayPal account, and this is why i insisted on using PayPal to pay,all i will need is your PayPal email address to make the payments, and if you don’t have a PayPal account yet, you can set one up at www.paypal.com it cant take you less than 3mins to do that, i will be expecting your PayPal email so l can pay. I have a pick up agent that will come for the pick up after payments has been sorted. l will be waiting for your reply asap..

Mrs Anna Johnson
anna2021anna@aol.com 

Skype exchange with Femi Tosin:

[24.04.12 13:23:24] hannhp900: Hi
[25.04.12 14:17:30] Femi Tosin: Hi
[25.04.12 14:17:39] rudolf: hi
[25.04.12 14:21:59] Femi Tosin: OK..get back to me with your PayPal email address where you want the payment to be addressed to and your phone number asap...
[25.04.12 14:23:48] Femi Tosin:
[25.04.12 14:23:58] rudolf:
[25.04.12 14:24:16] Femi Tosin: HI
[25.04.12 14:24:24] rudolf: hello there
[25.04.12 14:25:30] Femi Tosin: yes..i am here
[25.04.12 14:25:41] Femi Tosin: have you sold your art.......
[25.04.12 14:25:50] rudolf: well. i can see that from your online status.
[25.04.12 14:26:33] rudolf: why did you put a photo of a blonde woman and a female name in your profile at saatchis, when you are a man with a different name? does that make any sense?
[25.04.12 14:27:04] Femi Tosin: am using my huband email address
[25.04.12 14:27:33] Femi Tosin: this skype is my husband account
[25.04.12 14:28:10] rudolf: oh, i see.
[25.04.12 14:28:41] rudolf: so, where are you living then? in nigeria?
[25.04.12 14:30:05] Femi Tosin: from las vegas but my husband is from Nigeria
[25.04.12 14:35:42] rudolf: and are you in las vegas right now? then you are for sure an early riser
[25.04.12 14:36:11] Anna Johnson: yes
[25.04.12 14:37:35] rudolf: well. at 5 in the morning i usually finish my work, but i dont’t start that early
[25.04.12 14:39:06] Anna Johnson: what is your total cost for this art and do you still want to sell thiis art to me
[25.04.12 14:39:50] rudolf: dear anna or femin or whoever
[25.04.12 14:40:17] rudolf: i wrote all to you in the mails. up to now you did not tell me that you want one or both paintings
[25.04.12 14:41:43] Anna Johnson: Yes i am interestinh buying the both paint
[25.04.12 14:42:56] rudolf: and how you want the shipping to be done? you order a transport company to come and pick up the paintings, pack them and ship them to you.
[25.04.12 14:44:22] Anna Johnson: yes ...i have my own private shipping company that will come down to your state and pickup the item also i will let you to know that i will be adding the shipper’s fee and the paint together
[25.04.12 14:46:19] rudolf: well. when you order the shipping then you just pay for the transport directly. it does not make any sense that i get involved in this. isn’t it?
[25.04.12 14:46:59] Anna Johnson: but i am not in the state now...i am on a sea now
[25.04.12 14:47:04] Anna Johnson: for searching
[25.04.12 14:47:34] rudolf: well, my friend. let me tell you something
[25.04.12 14:47:44] rudolf: wherever you are - have a good time
[25.04.12 14:47:59] rudolf: but you are not from the us. your english tells it clearly
[25.04.12 14:48:24] rudolf: i guess we let it be and you try to find another person to cheat. ok?
[25.04.12 14:48:29] Anna Johnson: bye......bye.......bye......

Well. So much about the skype conversation. As the guy firstly just used his regular username I just searched for it and ... Bingo! He left at least some traces in the world wide web.
Seems that he likes mobile games ;-) Here is his member page at http://www.heyzap.com
In case he deletes this account as fast as he did it with his saatchionline profile after our conversation I put his photo here.

Scam Email: Steven Patrick

Hi Kathleen,
Thanks for putting the scam list together.  I got the email below &  his address is already on your list.

Chris

Return-Path:[steve.patrickgroups@gmail.com]
From: Steven Patrick [steve.patrickgroups@gmail.com]
Subject: [name of art piece here]

Good day,

My name is Steven Patrick, I'm from Quebec and i hope this message finds you well.I was going through your works and my eyes caught this particular work, i will like to have it for my new apartment this month.please let me know if the piece is available, if yes let me have the detailed price and more information about it. I will be waiting to read from you.

Regards,
Steven.

Scam Email: Nimota Brown

Here is a scammer targeting artists that use Artfire. Not sure where they got that fake name of 'Nimota'.

think this is a new one...I received this message this morning via my Artfire store front.

Subject: [name of two art pieces here]

Hello seller,
Am Nimota Brown by name i locate in west valley city Utah.i saw your item for sale and am so much interested in buying the item for you.Do you still have the item available for sale,Do you accept PayPal for mode of payment?I will like to ask you the following questions.

1)Are you the real owner?

2)What is the present condition?

3)How much is the final asking price?

4)Do you have PayPal ID which payment can be make?

5)Where is the exact location for the pick up?

kindly email me direct to my personal email.nimotabrown123@yahoo.com

 and then after the artist replied and said they can buy those pieces through their artfire store, the scammer wrote this reply, so all the usual crap they give:

Thank for your swift mail.........am very happy to see your mail i just want to inform you that i have little problem with my artfire mail that is the reason why i told you in my first mail that you should mail me direct to my personal email so kindly get back to me with your final price of the item and your paypal invoice and also u you don't need to bother your self about the shipping i have my shipper that i will come for the pick up in your location since i have some item to pick up in the state you item was the last item i brought so i will be waiting to read for you asap

Scam Email: Rudd Vandel

Hi Kathleen,

I received this email last week and responded briefly to determine if he had any clue I am in Australia.  I too have that whole "too good to be true" vibe and this isn't the first time I've received one of these emails - both were people at sea, both wanted to make PayPal payments and both had an agent who would pick up "the item".  Thank you for your blog, I wasn't sure how they were making the scam work with PayPal but you have cleared it up for me.  I hope you can add this scumbag to your list!!

Thanks again

---------- Forwarded message ----------

From: Rudd Vandel [ruddan009@yahoo.com]
Date: 7 April 2012 04:37
Subject: Re: Artwork Enquiry: [name of art piece]

 Hello,Thanks for getting back to me..I locate in Ohio .what's is your final asking price of the Item?and i am aware that the Item is located in AU but I am currently on sea for a business trip... I am paying you through PayPal and i will like you to get back to me with your PayPal Invoice because i will need to have it confirmed before making the payment.. After the payment has been made and confirmed,i have a shipping company that will be coming for the item pick up from you at your given location..Thanks

Rudd Vandel.